Paint stripping question - yet another one

[Lurchio]

Start with an apology, I know this area has been covered a million times and I have searched all morning.

I need to strip a model body painted with Halfords automotive paint and primer (I just don't like the colour).
As I am in the UK I can't get Castrol Super Clean or super green or the like and I'm nervous about using brake fluid as I don't want to damage the plastic.

The next recceomendation seems to be 99% Isopropyl alcohol (which I have just ordered and will be delivered tomorrow) but I just wanted to check - will this definitely strip automotive paint???

[MPWR]

I haven't tried it ever with Halford's (as I can't get it)- but yes, 99% has been effective on all laquers I've tried, including PPG automotive laquer. It should do what you need it to.

[cfcrules]

I have used Revell thinners in the past to remove it, but it takes very little off at one time and needs to be scrubbed very hard. Halfords paints seem to be a lot harder to remove than most paints. The problem I have is if you have is if its been clear coated using their clear laquer it doesn't seem to come off, you have to sand through this layer first and then strip the paint. The best one I have ever used was a bottle of a clear liquid, that was reuseable, with a yellow label, I don't know what it was called, but if anyone knows could they say as I would like to get some more of it.

[Vric]

I don't see how 99% Isopropyl alcohol would remove Lacquer, it's mainly to remove acrylic...

Try Easy Off Oven Cleaner as it is recomended in the ScaleWiki Article

[Lurchio]

I wasn't sure if alcohol would do it but I've ordered it through my company so if it doesn't work I've loast nothing and can always use for my acrylics.

I've only ever used oven cleaner for stripping chrome (Mr Muscle) but I'll give it a try tonight.

[elmankester]

I don´t know if it will help but I use Hidroxido of Sodium to strip the paint from my models...

[redstang423]

I mucked up my 350Z trying to rush to finish it before i left for school this semester, so my final modelling activity before leaving was stripping the paint. I just used generic foaming oven cleaner, and it worked well. Just make sure you use a plastic container and not metal - I used a metal tray thing that you might use to bake bread in (stole it from my mom's cabinets ) and it ate right through the metal. The model plastic was fine though.

[Lurchio]

Well, I left the model in oven cleaner for the last 16 hours and it seems to have barely touched the paint, just taken the shine off really!
Tonight I'll try the alcohol and if still nothing then brake fluid on Friday!

I'm curious as to what Hidroxido of sodium is, is it sodium hydroxide?

[wouter1981]

I've used the isopropyl alcohol and haven't used anything else since. It works briliantly on acrylics, but with al little more time lacquer should come off. i've only tryed it with tamiya spraycans, so I don't know with automotive paints. but give it a try and let us now.

[Lurchio]

OK - complete success!
99% Isopropyl alcohol stripped the halfords paint straight off after a few hours soaking!
Time to start all over again!

[wouter1981]

and if I'm correct, you hade absolutly no damage to the plastic. Not even softening.. Well.... who would use brake fluid if you know this stuff....